The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-23

In our own land today, perhaps no society
mas the outward prosperity OF ours, not
only has it gone over the land, scarcely be-
hlnd the pioneer who breaks ground Tor the
railroad and the new town, which are to CIV
ilize what was taught to consider the great
American desert. Masonry Is everywhere,
and not only so, but of its modern imitators,
VINO have eumulated its externals while fall
ing to catch its true spirit the name is legion
While we have thus given the example of
form, they have i'm a reflex manner acted up
on Masonry, the new life OF q free people,
which feels the need Of leading strings and
carefully guarded laws TO prevent It from
iapslng into RIGHTEOUSNESS, mas mOdlned our
nsages, and imported into our codes .proyis-
ions more or less gr0tesque, seen In the light
Of their surroundings. Whether all these
VIII remain, whether the essential life of
masonry will not yet reject them, as unfit
lot 10, lts use, we can as yet only conjecture.
Inc time when the mass OF the craft will
uot at all, or but slightly, affiliated with the
lodges seems almost past and it almost
seems, that the coming time VIII see the
motto, "0nce Mason always q Mason" for
gotten, and there will be no Mason but the
member of lodge. For one | regret this
tendency, for as | read the history OF our
OF the craft has been the motto just quoted,
and in the great body Of the unafiliated.
This Fraternity OF ours stands today
among the strongest, as Il Is, among the old
est OF human societies, In our free land its
influence is almost wholly Tor goood.- IN 9TH
Illus Where the jealousies Of ecclesiastical
power have coveredIits name with opprobrium
and have kept from it those who naturally
should have been its strength, either from
misrepresentation, or from fear of the priest
mood Its membership has Of course fallen into
the hands of somewhat different men from
those who compose 1t here, and has been the
symbol Of freedom, and sometimes / fear of
a license of which we are ignorant, yet even
then it cannot be doubted that its influence
ior good has far .preponderated over that
for evil.
In this condition of prosperity, let us never
forget the proyerb of the Ancient Nobility
OF France "Noblesse 0blige" and remember
that our society has for its distinguishing
characteristic, that men join it not for the
benefit they hope to gain for themselves, but
Tor that good they may do to others. Let
not the trading spirit which is the essence OF
It's many imitators gain any foothold among
us, but remembering that our long descent,
our present prosperity, are but incentives to
DO more for humanity, and less for ourselves,
renew in us those teachings we have re-
celved, and by our lives may we show that
Mac0unerle obige.
Above all let us remember that Masonry
is at any time, what the men who are at
that time Masons make it, and that upon US
Is the responsibility to keep it true to its
ideals, and to see that those who are to per-
petuate 1t when we are taken from it will
scrupulously maintain its high character.
The following sentiment was read by MI.
Chase as the next toast:
The Masonry Of the Future What Is the future2
The shadow on the dial, the striking Of the clock
the running OF the sand day and night, summer
but arbitrary and outward signs, the measure Of
the tuture not future ITSELF The future is the life
of the soul.
Mr.. E. p. Burnham of Massachusetts, made
the response. His speech follows:
THE MASONRY OF THE FUTURE.
1t is not easy to state what will be the
Masonry OF the future. So many elements.
both OF growth and of hindrance, to us now
unknown, may enter into the acts Of the
future that any prophecy as to the condition
OF Masonry years hence must necessarily be
indefinite. 1t would be convenient to repeat
The thing that hath been is that which
shall be" Yet we do not wish that this be-
come true IN cur case. 1t is not desirable
that anti-Mas0nry should again arise and
sweep over our country without considera-
ton or cause. Therefore let us ask that the
GOOD Of the past may come again, but that
the EVIL ana bitterness shall remain buried.
Several predictions relative to the future of
Masonry may confidently be made.
1st-That the increase in the number of
lodges viii not be rapid. The lodge at Fal-
mouth, when In 1863 it began comforting de-
grees, had before ii broad field of opera
IONS, being the whole of the District Of
Maine. There are now 1877 lodges in the
same area, extending into each Of the 16
counties.
2d-The degrees of Masonry impaired will
not increase as they have in the past. Not
until 1903 were any but the lodge degrees con-
de 1c NOW, tnere arel47 Chapters, ID Coun-
CHS, 10 Communicates, also bodies of the An
cient Accented Scottish Rite. 1t is to be hop
ed that no additional degrees will be waited
W US, ana tnat our members will not 90 upon
voyages of discovery.
3d-ln order to maintain the present inter
est IN the various organizations, it is essen
that the members refrain from adding Ia
their requirements the degrees in the Gift Of
the many friendly societies now existing in
the State. Not that we should be hostile 10
these societies, which have the same right as
we to live, but let us seriously consider how
much we can carry through to the end. For
ty-nye years ago Masonry was the only secret
general organization in Maine. How MANI
tnerelare now do not know, but assume
That there are dozen.
4th-f we desire that the next 81 wears he
as prosperous for Masonry, as has been the
last 20 years, 1t is needful that the members
keep In mind, the fact, that their duties
towards the fraternity are personal and can
uos De transferred TO the various organiza-
tons composing it. The warrants authoriz-
ing US to meet as Masons, the comfortable
nails In which tits our privilege to assemble.
ana the respectable clothing we NAV wear
tnerein, are all OF great value, but they will
NOT OF themselves keep our lodges from de-
cay. The presence of the members at the
meetings, and their interest in Masonry
when not in attendance, are necessary To
the future continuance and growth of the
Fraternity Finally let me express the hone
mat Portland Lodge WILL, % years hence,
call part of us, and of those coming after
US Qor, some will ere. then receive summons
from the Grand Master above) around this
board to review the past and put forth de-
sires for the future.
The toast-master called upon Mr.. G. f.
King of Boston, the oldest past master of
Portland Lodge present Mr.. King respond
ed happily.
All the speeches of the evening were well
delivered and well received, and the COMMA
ny dispersed at twelve o'clock after enjoy
ing an anniversary which win be remem-
bered as most successful one.
The success of the celebration is due to
the efforts f.the committee, Messrs. G. o.
Leach, G. d. Loring, G. F. Gould, ]. Evans,
and HI Bennett